Automatic fire-extinguisher



(No Model.)

2 sheets-sheet 1. 9

W. J. FRASER.

AUTUMATIG PIRE EXTINGUISHBR.

Patented Oct. 28, 1890.

cams versn: ca., mm'xmol, msmamon, n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. J. FRASER. AUTOMATIC PIRE BXTINGUISHBR.

No. 439,293. Patented Oct. Z8, 1390l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. FRASER, OF MILVAUKEE, XVISOONSIN.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-VEXTINGUISH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,293, dated October28, 1890.

Application tiled August 6, 1889.

.To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. FRASER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Fire-EX- tinguishers; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to such systems of automatic tire-extinguishingapparatus as embodya series of pipes suitably supplied with water underpressure, and led along 'the ceilings of rooms to be protected, suchpipes being provided at intervals with sprinklerheads. Thesesprinkler-heads are some form of device designed to automatically openthe pipes for the admission of waterto the room, and usually embody somespecial means for spreading or distributing the water issuing from thepipes. Said sprinkler-heads are applied beneath or above or at the sideof the pipes extending horizontally` along the ceilings.

My improved sprinkler-head is shown in a portion of the drawings lasapplied beneath the horizontal pipes, and in a portion of thedrawings asbeing applied above said pipes. It may also be applied to the side ofthe pipes.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus the parts ofwhich are small in number and simple in form.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of one of thesprinkler-heads applied beneath the horizontal pipe. Fig. 2 is a similarview of one of the sprinkler-heads applied above the horizontal pipe.Figs. 3,4, and 5 show modications of the sprinklerhead.

Referring to Fig. l, A is a horizontal pipe extending along the ceiling.y B is a branch pipe standing at right angles to the pipe A and joinedthereto by a T- coupling A', or said branch pipe may be one of the armsof the T-coupling.

The pipe A may be of any suitable size to Serial No. 319,909. (Nomodel.)

convey a sufficient volume of water to a desired number. ofsprinkler-heads, and the branch pipe B may be of proper size to deliverinto the room the volume of water desired in that portion of the room.Said pipe B is threaded exteriorly to receive the interiorly threadedsleeve C of the frame O. By thus applying the frame O upon the pipe Bsaid frame may be adjusted longitudinally upon said pipe, so thatwhatever said frame supports is carried nearer to or farther from saidpipe, depending upon the direction in which said frame and its sleeveare turned.

C2 C2 are arms of the frame C, connected below by the horizontal bar O3.

D is a deflector held against the opening of the pipe Bby the support D.One end of said support rests upon a hip or equivalent device c2,supported by the frame C below the dei-lector, while the opposite end ofsaid sup- Y port rests upon one end of a bar c3, pivoted at its middleto the frame C. Said bar is prevented from turning by the yokeD2, havingthe laterally-directed arms O2, one of which rests over the outer end ofthe bar C3 and the other of which rests over some portion of the frameC-as, for example, a projection c. Said projection c holds the lowerportion of the yoke, and the upper arm d2 of the yoke is made'to holdthe bar c3, so that the inner end of the latter is held immovablyagainst the support D. Y

E is an expansion device supported by the lower portion of the frame O,and arranged to force the yoke D2 outward until it is freed fromengagement with the bar c3 and the projection c. Said expansion devicemay be of any suitable form; but I prefer to use the form shown in thedrawings. The same consists of a chamber E', filled with suitableexpansive material, and a piston E2, extending outward from said chambertoward or against the yoke D2, so that when said expansive materialexpands the piston is driven forward to dislodge the yoke D2. lVhen theyoke D2 is thus dislodged, the bar c3 yields and the support D and thedeiiector E fall, thus allowing the water to iiow from the pipe B. Thedeector D may be made larger than the IOC frame C, and the arms C2 madeto extend Y through slots d in said deiector. vThen-when said deflectorfalls it will be engaged by the hip c2 and the bar d3 and held at aIixed dis-y tance fromvtlie opening of the pipe for the distribution ofthe water.

In Fig. Zthe head is in all respecislike that shown in Fig. 1, exceptingthat it is reversed and located above the pipe A.

In Fig. 3 the frame C is applied to the end of the pipe B, as in Fig. l,but the lower bar C3 is omitted and one of the arms C2 is shortened. Thelonger arm G2 has at its lower end the inwardly-directed lug c4; and theshorter arm has the outwardly-directed lug The expansion device E issimilar to that shown in Fig. 1, but it is held in place by the lug c"and the yoke D2. One end or side of the expansion device rests uponthelug` c4. while at the other end the upper arm ot' the yoke D2 restsupon the lug c5, and the lower arm of said yoke rests against the lowerside of said expansion device, so that said expansion device is held atthat side by said yoke, and the piston E2 is directed toward said yoke.Thus said expansion device is held stationary by said yoke so long asthe latter is in engagement, but is released when said yoke is dislodgedby the forward movement of the piston. The deector D is then supportedupon the expansion device E until said expansion device falls, whereuponsaid detlector also falls until it meets the hip c2 and the lug c5.

In Fig. 4 the frame C is applied to the pipe B, as in Fig. 1, and theexpansion device is put into a vertical posi-tion beside or as a part ofone of the arms C2, the piston being directed upward. F is a support,having a point f bearing against a cap G, resting over the opening ofthe pipe B. Said support has another point f bearing against the frame Cor the expansion device E at a point below and at one side of the pointf. Said support Fhas also an arm f 2 extending upward nearly over thepointf and beside the upper end of the expansion device E. Alug f3projects from the arm C opposite the arm f2, and a yoke D2 is appliedover said lug and said arm f2, so as to hold said support iinniovably inposition. The rising of the piston of the eX- pansion device underabnormal heat dislodges the yoke D2 and allows the support F and the capG to fall.

In Fig. 5 the parts are the same as in Fig. 4, excepting that thesupport F and expansion device E are united and together seated upon theframe C, as is said support alone in Fig. 4, and the yoke D2 engagessaid lug f3 and the upper end of the expansion-chamber E. The upwardmovement of the piston E2 dislodges the yoke D2 and allows saidexpansion device, support F, and cap G to fall. In this form saidexpansion device may, in a certain sense, be regarded as a part of thesupport for the cap G.

I do not claim herein a wedgeblock for holding a valve on its seat and alock-pawl fo-r holding said wedge-block in place until such pawl isreleased by an expansion device.

In another application filed by me September 6, 1889, and bearing SerialNo. 323,216, I claim, broadly, the combination, with a water-supplypipehaving an opening for the delivery of water, of a traine applied to saidpipe, a valve placed over said opening, a part supported by said frameand constituting a portion of the support of said valve, and a movablemember constituting another portion of the support of the Valve, and anexpansion device having a suitable part arranged to dislodge saidmovable member. The scope of the claims hereto appended is therefore tobe limited to combinations embodying a yoke, the engaging portions ofwhich are not hinged or coupled to the parts which they engage.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an automatic fire-extinguishingapparatus, the combination, with a pipe B, of a frame C, applied to thepipe B and a part resting over the opening of said pipe and heldforcibly against said opening by another part, forming a supporttherefor and supported by said frame, a yoke holding said partconstituting the su pport in position, and an expansion device to actdirectly upon said yoke, so as to force the latter outv of engagementunder abnormal heat, whereby the part closing the opening of said pipeis released, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an automatic fire-extinguishingapparatus, the combination, with apipe B, of a frame C, applied to the pipe B and a part resting over theopening of said pipe and held forcibly against said openingby'anotherpart, forming a support therefor and supported by said frame, a yokeholding said part constituting the support in position, and an expansiondevice to act directly upon said yoke, so as to force the latter out ofengagement under abnormal heat, whereby the part closing the opening ofsaid pipe is released, such expansion ,device consisting of a chamberand piston,said chamberbeing filled with a suitable expansive material,substantially as shown and described.

3. In an automatic fire-extinguishing-appar'atus, the combination, witha pipe B, of a frame C, applied to the pipe B and a part resting overthe opening of said pipe and held forcibly against said opening byanother part, forming a support therefor and supported by said frame, ayoke holding said part constituting thesupport in position, and anexpansion device so arranged with reference to said yoke as to actdirectly upon the latter and force it out of engagement under abnormalheat, whereby the part closing the opening of said pipe is released,said support, expansion device, and yoke being supported adjustably uponsaid pipe, substantially as shown and described.

4. In an automatic tire-extinguishing apparatus, the combination, with apipe B, of a frame threaded adjustably around the end of said pipe, anexpansion device resting upon one side of said frame and supported fromIOO IIO

the other side of said frame by means of a yoke so located as to beforced out of engagement by the movement of a part of the eX- pansiondevice, and a part applied over the opening of said pipe and heldagainst said opening by a support from said expansion device,substantially as shown and described.

5. In an automatic fire-extinguishing apparatns, the combination, with apipe B, of a' frame threaded adjustably around the end of said pipe, anexpansion-chamber resting upon one side of said frame and held againstsaid frame at the other side by means of a July, 1889.

WILLIAM J. FRASER.

Witnesses:

M. H. BRAND, M. E. BRAND.

